The present invention relates generally to an internal combustion engine, and particularly to a two-stroke, direct injected engine able to operate on a plurality of fuels.
Internal combustion engines generally have one or more cylinders through which one or more pistons move in a reciprocating manner. Each piston is connected to a crankshaft by a connecting rod able to deliver force from the piston to the crankshaft to rotate the crankshaft. Power to drive the piston is provided by igniting a fuel-air mixture disposed in the cylinder on a side of the piston opposite the connecting rod. The fuel-air mixture is ignited by some type of ignition device, such as a spark plug.
Typically, an internal combustion engine, such as a two-stroke engine, operates on a single fuel type. This, however, limits the adaptability of an engine. For example, fuel types available in various geographical regions may differ, rendering a given engine operable in one region but not in another. Some engines have been developed to start on one type of fuel and run on another, but this does not provide the desired adaptable engine that can operate on a variety of fuel types.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have an internal combustion engine able to readily operate on a plurality of fuel types.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an engine system is provided that can operate on a plurality of fuel types. The engine system includes an internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber. An injector is deployed in communication with the combustion chamber to discharge a fuel into the chamber. Additionally, an electronic control unit (ECU) is placed in communication with the injector. The ECU utilizes a plurality of fuel maps corresponding to a plurality of fuel types. The desired fuel map may be selected to match the fuel type injected, thus allowing the use of a plurality of fuel types.
According to another aspect of the invention, an engine is provided for use with a watercraft. The engine is capable of operating on a plurality of fuel types and is coupled to a fuel injection system. An electronic control unit utilizes a plurality of fuel maps that correspond to the plurality of fuel types that can be used in the engine.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for utilizing a plurality of fuel types in an internal combustion engine. The method includes injecting one of a plurality of fuel types into a cylinder of an internal combustion engine. The method also includes storing a plurality of fuel maps corresponding to the plurality of fuel types, and controlling the injection of a fuel into the cylinder according to a corresponding fuel map.